Other Ends
by PsychEmpress
Summary: When Aang notices something about Toph, it's that she's not the usual airbender. It was kind of hard not to notice, because she was currently yelling at the top of her lungs, arguing with Sokka why she refused to eat meat. OR In which everyone's elements are switched up, and despite it all, Aang finds grounding in the one he frees. Opposite Elements AU. Taang. Drabbles, mostly.
1. Air - Chapter One

_Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days, a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Water Tribes attacked. Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless bloodbenders. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed and the Water Tribes are nearing victory in the War. Two years ago, my father and the men of our province journeyed to the barren Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Water Tribes, leaving me and my brother to look after our town. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Earth Kingdom, and that the cycle is broken. But I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world._

;

 **Visions**

;

He's heard of the Swamp before, mostly through rumors of spirit-y stuff going around. Since he was the Avatar, he was inclined to believe them. Aang never really thought about coming here though, and he was pretty sure Appa never even considered it. Now he was stuck in a stinky swamp, hopelessly lost from his companions while he had a creepy feeling of being watched. He's been walking for what seems like ages, looking for his friends and he thinks the swamp is either anit-Avatar or just plain anti-human. After a while, the feeling of eyes on him starts to bother the Avatar. Suddenly, he hears it. It's a strange sound, definitely not something that would normally come from a swamp. Aang slows, straining his ears to listen over the sound of the swamp's critters. The sound is distant and soft but it's melodious and bell-like. Aang realizes it's the sound of laughter. He turns and catches a glimpse of someone. "Katara? Sokka?" He calls but receives no answer. He hears the laugh again and this time he feels compelled to follow. Aang decides then that he will. The closer he gets the clearer he hears the laughter, the giggles. He won't deny it, he likes the sound, and he's particularly curious about the source. He runs as fast as he can, trying to catch up, but it only seems like she (he's not sure how he pinned a gender on the sound but he did) only got faster. He hears her giggle and dashes into a clearing where the sunlight seeps through. Pausing in his tracks, he finally sees her. Aang feels his breath catch. She's a vision, he thinks, of beauty and grace and innocence.

Standing a few feet away was a girl around his age with billowy robes and ebony black hair tied back into a large bun. He was too far to really see her face but he had a feeling she was beautiful. She turns to look at him and that's when he notices the small drum in her arms. She giggles and taps it before turning away. "Wait!"

When he almost reaches her, he stumbles into Katara and finds that she really was just a vision made by the swamp. He's severely disappointed.

;

(He later learns that the swamp gives visions of people they've loved and people they've lost and that time is an illusion. He thinks he'll meet the girl in his vision. Well, he really hopes he does.)

;;

 **Titles**

;

She doesn't know what made her even show up. Sure, he was the Avatar and all, but he was just a kid! Sister Hui's words about being hospitable and kind be damned, Toph knew she was putting herself in danger by showing up to the dinner. But for some reason, she couldn't help it. She knew that he recognized her from the bandit fiasco; it had only been a few days, after all. She just hoped he'd keep his mouth shut about it. She had enough trouble from Bumi, she didn't need Sister Hui on her case, too.

When she enters the dining hall, it is filled with the quiet chatter of the Sisters and Mothers, and Toph thinks she can probably be hidden tonight. But then she hears a loud, booming voice from the other end of the hall, "Toph!" Biting her tongue, Toph turns to him in a flourish, not to show-off, really, it's to send a tiny, minuscule gust that overturns his cup of tea and send its contents onto his lap. She thinks she was discreet enough but she notices Sister Hui's sharp turn toward her. Uh-oh.

"Monkey feathers!"

"Toph!"

"..oops." She was definitely not sorry, but she'll take any excuse to leave the room. "I'll go get a rag or something to clean it up." With that, she turns on her heels and is so close to sweet escape when Aang's voice reaches her ears.

"I'll just go with her to look, don't worry about my clothes."

Stupid Avatar, she thinks.

;

(He's not stupid, she admits later. But she still takes to calling him Pebblebrain.)

;;

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN AVATAR THE LAST AIRBENDER. This is going to be my disclaimer for the whole story.**

 _ **Extra Notes**_

 ***** This is _Taang_ fanfiction, so if you'd rather a drabble series on this AU that follows canon, I'm sorry but I don't know anyone who has written it. If you do, let me know because I'd like to read it too.

* If you don't understand this AU, look for **venidel** on  tumblr. She started it all and she and some others have this amazing world thought up.

* If any of you are following _Celebi's Tale_ , I'm sorry but I'm putting that on a temporary hiatus and I'm going to use this story as practice to get back into writing as well as a trial to see how far I can go with my writing.

Reviews are greatly appreciated. Maybe you even have your own headcanons, and I'd love to hear them!

Sincerely,

Empress


	2. Air - Chapter Two

" _Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Water Tribes attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar, an earthbender named Aang. And although his earthbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Aang can save the world._ "

;;

 **Restraints**

;

"Wait, wait, I thought airbenders were like, free to do whatever you want? Aren't you allowed to travel the world on a bison or something?" He doesn't understand, but he knows he doesn't like the sound of the snort she gives him in response. It's not the snort itself, it's the underlying despair he can detect. (Appa's been helping hone his seismic sense.)

Toph looks away from him, toward the fog that hides the temples. Aang can't help but feel that even the air around them was despairing with her, heavy and thick. "The others are. I'm not, because I'm special." He hears her disdain and he's really just confused. "You mean, because you're blind? B-but you can still see! I mean, not like we do but still!" When Toph turns to look at him with her glassy eyes, his heart breaks for her.

;

He vows he'll never let her be that sad ever again.

;;

 **Freedom**

;

The whole temple is in an uproar and it's a miracle that she even manages to pinpoint him. Toph doesn't think when she jumps off a ledge, ignoring Sister Hui's call, and snaps her glider open. She can hear him screaming about ten feet away from her and she can sense the raw fear in his voice. Diving down, she maneuvers herself so that she catches him with her legs, wrapping them around his torso. He's heavy but nothing she can't handle. ("I've got you, Pebblebrain, stop screaming!") With a deep breath, she manages to fly both of them above the crevice to where she knows his friends are waiting.

;

"Come with us," he says, his hand outstretched.

She hesitates before placing her hand in his. (Later, she would show him the freedom in the skies, but she knows he's the one who gave her true freedom.)

;;

 **Grounding**

;

It was early in the morning during meditation when Toph surprised him with the question. To be fair, Aang knew he'd suck at the whole meditating thing, and currently, he was doing a lousier job than he expected. So he wasn't really against favoring her with an answer.

"Uh what does the sunrise look like?"

Toph gives him an eye roll. "Yes, Pebbles, describe it to me." Aang opened his mouth when he realizes that colors probably wouldn't work for her. "Well, it's like a meadow with a different flowers that go together. The flowers have different colors, like, um, orange."

He was expecting to be flicked or something. He definitely didn't expect Toph to say "...is orange like that tangy fruit?"

He answers yes and realizes how he could describe the world to her and so he does. Toph listens patiently, commenting here and there but generally being attentive. By the end of his description, Aang is a bit breathless but he feels better, lighter somehow. He tells his sifu this, and Toph smirks in reply.

"Yeah, well, I figured you needed some way to connect to the earth that isn't all vibrations. You've got eyes, Pebbles, use 'em for me, will you?" And with that, she walks back toward the campsite and Aang hurries to catch up.

;

(He ends up describing their path all the way back. She doesn't mind.)

;;

 **Work**

;

Toph wants to face palm. Pebblebrain has more or less gotten the hang of describing things to her, and it helps with his meditation. The problem was his form. Toph had been guiding him in airbending forms for two hours now and they both knew something was wrong. Toph blinks slowly, trying to wrack her brain for an answer. They were in the middle of meadow (surrounded by all sorts of flowers like Pandalilies, according to Aang) and it was a generally normal day. A breeze passes by and Toph sees him doing his form clearly and that's when she realizes it.

"You're too stiff, Pebblebrain." She can sense his incredulous expression but doesn't mind it. Toph glances around and asks, "Didn't we pass a bamboo grove on the way here?"

"Yeah, it's over there."

"Let's go."

The pair of them walk over to the said grove, where a relatively small patch of land grew nothing but bamboo. The bamboo were all clustered and it seemed impossible for anyone to go through it. Toph straightens herself as she says, "Alright, Pebbles, watch me carefully because you're doing this next. You gotta be like a leaf."

"W-what?" Not minding her pupil, Toph sends a strong gust of air that causes the bamboo to rock against each other and steps into the grove. The sound of bamboo hitting is all she hears and she concentrates, letting herself flow. Step. Duck. Step. Spin. Dodge. Step. ("Wow," Aang mutters, entranced) When Toph steps through on the other side, she grins at him. "Well, Pebbles, you ready?"

;

He doesn't get it in the first few tries and he's bruised and aching when he says he can't do it.

She frowns, saying "And here I thought you could do it. Turns out you're just a sissy."

(He gets through it, then.)

;;;


	3. Air - Chapter Three

**Training**

;

"So what're we doing today?" Aang says as he stretches, his eyes on his master. It's a cool morning, and they've just finished meditation. Toph regards him, "We're playing a game of tag."

Aang blinks. Tag? How is tag considered training?

Almost as if reading his mind, Toph speaks, "Without using bending of any sort, you have to land a hit on me."

"I-I can't hit you!" The thought of his fists against her alabaster skin disturbs him greatly. Aang knows he punches hard, and he refuses to bruise Toph's beautiful skin. ('Wait, beautiful?')

Oblivious to his inner struggle, Toph shrugs. "Fine, tap me then, or something. Just make sure you can touch me or we'll be doing this all day."

Aang raises an eyebrow. That seemed too easy... "Touch you? Like this?" As he says the words, he reaches for her arm but then his fingers close on thin air. Aang blinks. Toph was gone.

"Over here, Pebblebrain." She's behind him and he doesn't know how that happened. Determined now, he tries to get her again, but she slips away to his right. When he extends his right arm toward her, she bends down and around him. "Use what you've learned Pebbles," she says, dodging him again. "Be like the leaf," she reminds, ducking under his arm. "Let loose," he hears her and realizes he's been standing on one spot the whole time, too stiff and grounded. Aang takes a deep breath and swings his arm in an arc, and he feels the tips of her hair caress him. Toph smirks at him, "Almost there, Pebblebrain." They continue with their unusual dance, Toph dodging and evading while Aang tries to follow her movements. The longer it goes on, the more tired Aang becomes and he finds that he moves less, but better. "That's it, Pebbles, let loose." At some point, he finally manages to graze her ear and he's surprised to hear an "Eep!" come from his master. Toph suddenly crouches, covering her ears, her milky eyes wide. "T-Toph?" Fear grips him and Aang starts to panic, had he hurt her? What's wrong? When he starts to crouch beside her, she holds up a hand to stop him. "I-I'm fine, Pebblebrain. You got me, we're done for today." When she turns and walks away, Aang feels horrible and he decides to follow her.

;

("...it just- It sort of tickled, okay? I dunno how to explain it. It just surprised me, is all.")

;;

 **Test**

;

"Aww, come on Sokka, you're my only sparring partner!" She hears Aang whine. It's too early for this, she thinks, even if it's way past breakfast. "Exactly!" Sokka replies, "I don't get why you only try to beat me up when you can fight Toph or Katara with your bending!"

"Because they're girls, Sokka, and I don't wanna hurt them." Toph raises an eyebrow at this. So what if they were girls? Was he trying to say something? Making up her mind, Toph stands and flicks one of her lychee nuts at the back of the Avatar's head, slightly using airbending to hit harder.

"Ow! Toph!"

"Stop whining, Pebblebrain, I'll spar with you." ("Oh thank Agni!" Sokka says)

He sputters but Toph's mind is set. "I can't hit you! You're a girl!"

She rolls her eyes at him, "Sounds to me like you're scared, Pebbles." She can feel his glare on her.

"I'm not scared."

She smirks. "Then fight me."

;

They move out to a clearing at Sokka's insistence, because he didn't want them destroying the campsite. Toph doesn't know why he even came along and voices her thoughts. "Oh, I just wanted to see a good fight," Sokka says before turning to Aang. "Alright, so how're you guys gonna do this? Airbending only or free-for-all?"

"I dunno. Toph?"

"How 'bout Air versus Earth?" she replies, shrugging, "Opposite elements and all. Would be pretty interesting."

Sokka agrees while Aang frowns. "Are you sure? You could get hurt."

"That's only if you can even hit me, Pebblebrain." Her reply is cocky and comes with a smirk. She hears Aang grunt in response and they move silently, standing across each other in the middle of the clearing.

Despite his hesitance at the thought of sparring with her, Aang makes the first move, lifting a boulder and hurling it at her. Toph steps to her left and it misses. She sends a gust straight at him and he takes it head on, staying on his feet. She can sense him levitating several smaller rocks and they surround her. She smirks. Just as the rocks close in on her, she jumps and creates a ball of whirling air, using it as a scooter of sorts. She whizzes around Aang, clouds of dust forming behind her.

"Argh!" She hears, and she realizes the dust has gotten to his eyes. Before she can apologize, Sokka lets out a whoop. "Now you guys are really on fair ground. Neither of you can see."

For a second, Toph celebrates at the thought that she might have an advantage over her opponent. Then a spike pokes from the ground and destroys her air scooter, and she realizes that he's smirking. Aang was smirking. Oh, now she had to up her game too. Jumping up, she twirls in the air, forming a tornado and kicks it toward him. It knocks him down, but Aang gets back up quickly. Before Toph could even land, he raises columns of earth to push her back, and Toph realizes how easily she could get hurt. She lifts herself again into the air and makes sure to land right behind Aang. She places a hand on his spine and goes with the typical evasion tactic. He sends boulders after boulders, trying to get her off his back but she is a leaf now, and Toph is never hit. When he stills, Toph knows what's coming. Her hand on his spine moves and she has him in a choke hold when he raises a column right under her to throw her in the air. What happens next is a blur to Sokka and Aang but with her sense in the air, Toph knows that she and Aang were hit. They fly up thanks to the column and Toph feels Aang maneuver them so that he lands first. When they crash, with Toph on top of Aang, she knows he's still okay. He barely takes a second to recover and Toph decides on a tactic she knows is fool-proof. Aang grunts under her and he moves, so Toph's head slides down from his shoulders to his chest. She hears the change in his heartbeat, going from fast to rapid. She figures he's starting to panic at her seemingly unconscious state. "Oma, Toph!" She can feel his arms wrap around her, cradling her.

"What happened?" Katara's voice is clear in her ears and Toph thinks she should get it over with before the Mother Hen goes crazy. "P-pe..bbles.." she croaks, her eyes fluttering. "Toph!" His face is close, she knows, because she can feel his breath. She weakly lifts her hand to cup his cheek and hears his breath catch. Moving quickly, Toph flicks Aang on the forehead. "Psych!" She yells, jumping up with her bending. When her companions gawk at her in silence, Toph crosses her arms, "What? Relax, Pebblebrain caught my fall, I'm fine. You should be more worried about him, anyway."

"..."

"...Toph.."

"DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!"

;

("I was seriously worried about you..."

"..I know."

She knows she's forgiven when his arms are tight around her when they hug.)

;;


	4. Air - Chapter Four

**Character**

;

There are some things that make a person a better bender, Aang thinks. One of those things was character. Take him and earthbending for example. Aang knows he is stubborn, and you need to be just that if you want to move a rock. He is simple and blunt, because like in earthbending, there's no trickety trick that'll move a rock besides yourself. And he is definitely headstrong, because you need to face things head on.

So when Aang notices something about Toph, it's that she's not the usual airbender. It was kind of hard not to notice because she was currently yelling at the top of her lungs, arguing with Sokka why she refused to eat meat. Aang thinks that Sokka's stupid to even try. While the Avatar was probably the most stubborn in their little group, he was pretty sure Toph could rival him. Plus, she was actually pretty brazen. Well, more than he was anyway. Aang knows that while she can be a conniving little fox, manipulating people wasn't really her thing. He didn't doubt that she'd probably use a little flattery to get something she wanted, but only in desperate situations. He's not sure, though.

"For the last time, Snoozles, I REFUSE TO EVEN TRY THAT THING YOU CALL DINNER!"

"But Toph-"

"Give it up, Sokka, it's a lost cause." Aang comments, offhandedly, as he got up from his seat.

"Finally, someone who understands!" Toph exclaims, throwing her hands in the air and Aang finds this amusing. He turns to see Sokka stalking off, grumbling something about how his precious meat shouldn't be offended by people like Toph. Aang laughs out loud and Toph smirks as she turns away. "Thanks for that, Pebblebrain."

"No problem. But can I ask you something?"

Toph pauses in her step and she cocks her head toward him. "What's up Pebbles?"

"What do you think I'd be like as an airbender?"

He's surprised her, he can tell. Her milky eyes widen, but she says nothing as she takes his previous seat. Aang remains standing awkwardly, and he opens his mouth to dismiss his question when Toph gives him a reply.

"Well, you'd be more of a wimp than you are now."

He frowns as she cackles. "Toph."

"What, it's true! But I think you wouldn't be half-bad." Aang blinks. He didn't see that coming. Toph shrugs as she continues, "I mean, if you were raised by the monks, you'd probably be a lot less stubborn and eager to fight. You'll still be childish and whiny, obviously-"

"Hey!"

Toph laughs again and Aang relaxes, remembering the vision he saw in the swamp.

"Plus, I can totally see you practically preaching pacifism."

"Paci-what?"

"Peace, Pebblebrain. 'Violence is never the answer' kinda thing."

"Oh." He sits beside her, and he stares into the fire. He can feel Toph shift beside him, and he knows she's curious, too.

"What brought this about, anyway?" she asks.

"Nothing really. I just noticed how stubborn you are and thought how you'd actually be a decent earthbender," he didn't plan to elaborate that much, but he did and now Aang was blushing. He hopes Toph doesn't notice.

Toph's excitement at his answer was a surprise though. "Really? I've always sorta wondered how I'd be like if I came from another nation. What would I be like if I came from the Earth Kingdom, Pebblebrain?"

Aang blinks. "Well, assuming you're an Earthbender, you'd still be able to see, only with the Earth."

"Like Appa does?"

"Yeah, like Appa and other Badgermoles," he smiles down at her, "Actually, if you learned from them, you'd probably know better earthbending than a lot of people. You're already brazen and stubborn, so I think you'd just end up being a lot more headstrong and forward."

Toph frowns. "Are you saying I'm a coward?"

"I'm saying you're clever. You find your way around things. If you were an earthbender, you'll probably like smashing rocks with your head like I do." This makes her laugh and Aang relaxes, leaning back on his arms. The two of them settle into a comfortable silence when Katara walks by.

"What're you guys doing?"

"Talking."

Katara raises an eyebrow at him, "About?"

Aang sort of wants to say 'nothing' but then Toph answers for him, "Pebblebrain and I were wondering how we'd end up like if we had our opposite elements."

Aang watches as Katara's confusion becomes clear. "You mean, like, if you were an Earthbender and Aang was an Airbender?"

"Yeah."

"Huh." She plops down on a seat near them and holds her chin in contemplation. Aang glances at Toph, but her gaze is on the fire. Firelight paints her features and it gives Toph a soft glow that fits her. Aang finds her beautiful, then.

"What do you guys think I'd be as a waterbender?" Katara's question snaps him out of his thoughts, but Aang remains silent as Toph answers the inquiry.

;

 _In another universe..._

"Hey Toph, do you think I'd make a good earthbender?"

Snort. "You're too much of a wuss, Twinkletoes."

"Oh.."

"...but I guess you wouldn't be half-bad."

;;

 **Friendship**

;

Breathe in. Breathe out.

In.

"Hey, Toph, hey."

Out. Don't mind the idiot poking you with a stick. Breathe in.

"Toph." Breathe out.

In. "Toph?"

Out. "What, Snoozles?" Toph makes sure to snap, annoyed at having her meditation disturbed.

"Oh, were you meditating?"

Glare. "Right, sorry. Uh, I was just wondering.. I mean, like, do you- uh.. A-are you-um..."

"Spit it out, Snoozles or I'll send you off the cliff."

"I was just wondering how you and Aang got along so well!"

Toph blinks. "What're you talking about, Snoozles?"

"I mean, like, aren't you guys opposites? It's just, the two of you seem to get along better than..."

"You and Katara?" She snorts when he lamely says yes. "Look here, Snoozles, you and Sugar Queen are related, and you've grown up together. It's understandable if you're pretty much sick of each others' faces. But you guys have a bond that no one can cut. So don't freak out if your sister's giving you the cold shoulder. Even if it's been a week."

At the mention of a week, Sokka groans. "..I should apologize, shouldn't I?"

"You better. Although I've been enjoying all the veggie stews we've had all week."

"Ugh, don't remind me. Alright, I'll go talk to her," he says as he stands. Toph hears him pause. "Thanks Toph. Even if you didn't answer my original question."

"You never asked it as a question to begin with, Snoozles. Now run along and make peace with Mother Hen."

When Toph was sure that Sokka had left and was out of earshot, she speaks. "You coming out of there or are you gonna hide all day stalking me, Pebblebrain?"

She hears the rustle of leaves and a thud and suddenly Aang is sitting beside her. "How'd you know I was there? And I wasn't stalking you, for your information."

"Whatever you say, Pebbles. The rustle of leaves was weird. I sensed your form when a breeze passed."

"Oh..."

Silence. Toph sits straighter and the wind picks up.

"Hey Toph, what would you answer if Sokka had asked properly?"

"How would I know, he never did."

He groans. She smiles. "Why do you suppose they think we get along well?"

Toph gives him a shrug, but answers nonetheless. "Dunno. Maybe because they think we don't argue as much as we do."

Aang laughs from beside her, "Yeah, that's true. We argue a lot, don't we?" He says it as an offhanded comment, an observation, but Toph feels weird at his words. Her voice is considerably softer when she replies, "Yeah... Even if they are petty arguments."

She knows he picks up on her change of mood. She's glad he doesn't mention it.

;

("You know, I think Sokka's right. We _do_ get along pretty well, for opposites." She doesn't know why, but his words bring a smile to her lips.)

;;


	5. Air - Chapter Five

**Insecurities**

;

He doesn't understand it. The two girls had left this morning laughing and giggling about makeovers or something and they returned somber and quiet, even with their faces made up. (Aang thinks they both look pretty, but Toph looks just fine even without the makeup.) He had asked Toph about it but she shrugged him off with a "It's nothing, Pebblebrain."

Aang decides he needed to ask Katara instead. When he approaches her with the question, her gaze briefly flicks toward the blind airbender.

"Some girls just made fun of us-well, Toph, mostly. She said she didn't mind, but..." Aang follows her gaze as it lands on the meditating Toph. Aang frowns. "What'd the girls say?"

Katara shrugs, "I don't really remember now, just something about how she looks. I told Toph she's a whole lot more beautiful than them - really, she is ('I know' he thinks) - but I don't think it did any good."

Aang nods and decides to try. He tells Katara this and he gets a grateful smile in response. ("Thanks Aang. I'm sure you can help," she says)

With that, he makes his way over to Toph, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. He knows she's not really meditating, her heart wasn't calm and it had a weird beat of sadness to it. He sits down beside her and lies on his back with his hands under his head. It's not the normal meditating position, but it helps him so he goes with it. The wind picks up and he just lies there, silent. He knows Toph is wondering now. Finally, he hears her sigh.

"What, Pebblebrain?"

"Nothing."

She snorts and he's happy to hear the sound. "Yeah, right. What is it?"

"What, can't I just spend time admiring the beautiful things around me?" He says as he sits up.

"You can find your own meditating spot, Pebbles." Aang wants to facepalm. He tries for a more direct approach. "I meant you."

His words have their desire effect; a dust of pink staining her pale cheeks. Aang finds it adorable.

"Whatever Katara told you, believe me when I say I'm fine." Beat. Now it's Aang's turn to snort.

"Toph, I'm a living lie detector remember?" He moves so that he's sitting right in front of her, where he can look her right in the eyes, even if she couldn't see him. "You're not fine, Toph. So what's the problem?"

She glares at him, and he feels his resolve weaken. But when her glare softens and her gaze falls on the ground, he knows she's ready. "Toph?"

"It's just... I've gone my entire life seeking approval. Hoping to be accepted even if I was blind and different. I thought Sister Hui's acceptance of me was perfect. We all know it wasn't, not when she wanted to keep me hidden. So when I went with Katara this morning, I just- I dunno," she shrugs, her voice going even softer. "I guess I just hoped I'd be accepted and seen as I am."

Aang feels his breath catch at her words, and he places a comforting hand on hers. "Toph. Listen to me, you _are_ accepted and you _are_ loved. We're here for you and trust me when I say that we all think you're beautiful. Gorgeous, even. Inside _and_ out." She squeezes his hand, and Aang smiles at her. "Now come on, let's go." He stands and pulls her up with him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

;

"So what was it you said about my friend?"

"SHE'S PRETTY, SPIRITS, SHE'S GORGEOUS. Please, just let us out!"

He nods as he stomps once to let the group of girls out of the holes he put them in. "Good. Now scram." He watches them scamper away, squealing like a bunch of deerboars.

"...you didn't have to do that, you know."

He glances down at his companion and shrugs. "I know. I wanted to. Besides, with you and your 'violence isn't the answer' thing, who'll defend you if not me?"

"I can do it myself, Pebblebrain."

He gives a grin at her statement. "I know."

;;

 **Sure**

;

It's a warm day, while they were traveling through what once was the Earth Kingdom when Toph realizes one of the reasons why she sort of admires Aang. Unlike her, who struggled with insecurities, Aang seemed so sure, so steady. She thinks back to

the storm they encountered a few days ago. Appa had gone underground to hide from the torrential rain at Aang's command, while the Earthbender led them through the forest to a cave he had sensed. Sokka was exhausted and Katara was anxious. When Toph saw her older companions so, she got scared. 'Will we make it through the storm?' she had thought, but kept silent, following Aang's lead. When they arrived, he made a fire and told Katara and her to go change clothes deeper in the cave. When they returned, Sokka had also changed to dry clothes while Aang was shirtless, drying his shirt by the fire.

Toph blinks from her spot on Appa's back. Even if Aang had been naked, she wouldn't have known or cared. She knows she merely admired the way he took the lead then. Appa speeds up and Toph rejoices at the feeling of the wind in her face. She wonders then, if Aang was really as sure and stable as he seemed. She can sense his outline as Appa moves, and she makes a mental note to check.

;

("Are you okay?" she asks. He doesn't answer but he does walk into her open arms. It's all the answer she needs, and she hugs him tight.)

;;

 **Comfort**

;

They had been traveling for days now when Appa lifts his head and makes a sharp turn. Aang is surprised but he's willing to see what Appa had noticed. Sokka complains about the time they need to get to Kyoshi Island. Katara reminds him it's still weeks away, whichever direction they went. Toph is silent as the siblings argue, but she is just as curious as Aang.

When the group arrives at an ancient town in ruins, surrounded by cherrybloom trees, Aang stops breathing. He hops off his badgermole and lands stiffly on the ground. The others follow suit, with Toph landing a lot more gracefully than any of them. "Aang?" he hears Katara murmur but he ignores her. His heart is pounding and he's not seeing the same ruins his companions see. "Wait here," he mutters before he runs off. There are new twists and turns but Aang recognizes the familiar path he grew up on. He sees the tall walls and his already pounding heart beats faster. When he passes through broken gates, he is greeted by a garden of cherryblooms. His fists clench at his sides and Aang forces himself to keep going. He needed to see him. He needed closure.

As he spots the ancient building, Aang feels something wet slide down his cheek and he realizes he's crying. He pauses at the steps and takes a deep breath, trying to calm his heart.

"I thought I told you to wait." he mutters, his voice thick and broken but he doesn't care, not even when Toph jumps down from a cherrybloom branch behind him.

"You told Katara, not me."

Snort. "Oh, so is Sokka with you then?"

Her voice is soft when she speaks from beside him. "I was worried about you. They are, too, but they didn't want to anger you." His sight is blurry with tears when he glances at her, his face forming a weak frown. "And you? What if I was mad?"

Toph shrugs. "You aren't." And he feels her take his trembling fist. "Let's go in?"

He doesn't answer her but leads the way.

They find Gyatso's bones in the sitting room, where Aang knew he loved to play paisho. He doesn't tell Toph about the numerous bones he could sense buried under the room. He's comforted by the thought that Gyatso had put up a fight.

They spend the next few hours giving him a proper burial under the largest cherrybloom tree in the garden. ("It was our favorite," he says)

;

(He's grateful for her arms around him because it hurts so much he feels like he can't even stand. "I will be," he murmurs as his sobs die down.)

;;


	6. Air - Chapter Six

**Bond**

;

"Hey buddy, how're you?" His nose presses against her tiny hand and Toph giggles at the tickling feeling. "I see you missed me. Don't worry, I missed you too, big guy." She moves her hand and smooths down the fur between his eyes. "What song do you want today?" She asks, bringing out her small flute.

"If I answer for him, will you play for me too?"

She rolls her eyes at the speaker. "Pebblebrain, leave us alone. I was talking to Appa." She smiles when the badgermole grunts in response, almost as if agreeing with her.

"Appa! How could you?" Aang gasps dramatically, and her smile widens.

 _Grunt. Scratch-scratch._

"But Appaaaaa," Toph hears him whine as he walked closer to her. Appa bristles slightly, but Toph knows it's in jest. She cocks her head slightly as Aang approaches, standing beside her and the badgermole. "Toph isn't just _yours_."

Toph feels her eye twitch. "And what do you mean by that, Pebbles?"

Aang must have sensed the edge in her voice and raises his arms in defense. "Hey, I was just saying you're your own person. You know, Air Nomad and all, free to roam wherever."

"Uh-huh."

"So will you play a song or what? Appa's waiting and don't mind me."

With another roll of her eyes, Toph sits down, leaning on the badgermole. "If you behave, Pebblebrain, I think Appa and I can let you in on our bonding time." She doesn't need to see to know that he's grinning as he plops down beside her. Toph waits until they're all comfortable before she raises her flute to her lips. Soon enough, melodious music surrounds them and lulls them all to sleep.

;

"Aww! They're so _cute_!"

"Sokka, keep it down! We don't wanna wake them."

Toph shifts slightly, nudging Aang's shoulder with her head. He grunts and suddenly Sokka is sent flying thanks to an earth column. Toph doesn't care where he lands and she knows Aang is silently telling Katara to leave too. She does and Toph snuggles closer to Appa.

" _Toph_.."

(She ends up snuggling against Aang instead, unsurprisingly.)

;;

 **Blind**

;

Aang feels horrible. Not in the I-feel-so-sick-I-need-to-vomit kind of horrible but the kind where your-friends-suffer-and-there's-nothing you-can-do kind of horrible.

Appa's grunts and whines make it obvious that he doesn't want to come to the desert. The sand is too shifty and divided for the badgermole to be able to see properly, and Aang wishes he could just carry Appa all the way back to solid ground.

He looks up in front him, seeing his friend use her precious staff as a makeshift walking stick, and he finds another reason to dislike the desert.

"It'll be okay, big guy, we'll make it through this." Toph assures the creature, one hand on her staff to steady her as they walked in search of the library while the other caressed the badgermole comfortingly. Aang thinks about how the 'we' in her statement didn't mean their group as a whole as much as it meant only her and Appa. After all, in this kind of environment, they were both utterly blind. He only wishes he could do something to help them both out. He places a hand on top of Toph's shoulder and another on Appa's fur.

"Yeah, we're in this together, guys."

The squeeze on his hand and the grunt he receives in response is good enough answer for him.

;

("Come on, Aang, Toph. Appa'll be _fine_. Who'd attack a giant badgermole in the middle of a desert anyway?")

;;


	7. Air - Chapter Seven

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, if any of you were bothered enough by it. This part was a bit hard to write, but the challenge made it worth it. Enjoy and leave a review, if you don't mind.**

 **;;;**

 **Libraries**

Although Toph is blind (a fact she is harshly reminded of in the desert) she never really had a problem with libraries. Sister Hui had her learn a special language for the blind, and Toph was proud to say that she had finished reading the entire Braille section of the Western Air Temple Library. So when they descend and land on the library, she's surprised by the amount of spiritual energy around them. There's a bad feeling in her stomach as they walk (pointedly ignoring the excited commentary of Professor Zei), and she holds on to the arm of the person closest to her. It just so happens to be Aang.

"Toph?" he whispers and she realizes he's unnerved, too. Something's not right, she wants to say, when the air around them swirls and Toph immediately recognizes the beat of wings flapping. "Quick, hide!" she half-whispers, half-yells. The others are swift to follow her words, darting behind two columns. Before Toph could move, she is pulled by her arm and she finds herself hiding with Aang and Professor Zei.

When something - something huge - lands near them, Toph grips her staff and she can sense Aang tense in front of her. Calm, she thinks, she needs calm. Closing her eyes (as useless as the act was) Toph concentrates, and she feels the spiritual energy around her, outlining her surroundings. She can see Aang, the professor, Katara and Sokka, all still and silent. Tense. The thing (a giant owl, she realizes) is looking around and she senses his aura is calm yet irked. He knows we're here, she thinks.

Just as she thought, the spirit speaks, "I know you are hiding behind those columns."

Her breath catches and Aang maneuvers her to stand behind him ('It's kind of a sweet gesture,' she thinks, 'only a tad bit too protective.') Toph cringes and wants to face palm when she senses the professor jump out excitedly and start to blabber.

"Oh, great Spirit, I am Professor Zei, Head of the Archeological Department in Air Nation University."

The spirit regards the man, and Toph thinks he might just eat him for his knowledge. "And you should leave the way you came, unless you'd want to be a stuffed head of Anthropology."

The professor's aura shifts to a more nervous one, and Toph hears Sokka speak up, coming out from behind the column, "Are you the spirit that brought this library to the physical world?" Katara stands by her brother and Toph's eyes open when she feels Aang tug at her sleeve and they follow their friends.

"Indeed," the giant owl says, "I am WanShiTong, he who knows ten thousand things, and you are humans, which by the way, are no longer permitted in my study. "

"What do you have against humans?" Aang asks from beside her. Toph keeps her gaze level, listening intently as the spirit tells of the humans' abuse of knowledge, using it to destroy their enemies. She hears him shift, leaning toward Sokka, and ask, "So who are you trying to destroy?"

Toph resists the urge to face palm when her companion tries to lie, failing horribly. Even the spirit comments on it, and she smirks.

"No, no, I'm not lying. I'm with my friend, the Avatar," Sokka says, pulling Aang forward and in front of the spirit. "He's the bridge between our worlds; he'll vouch for me."

Toph feels another urge to face palm when Aang mutters, "Uhh, yeah, I'll vouch." (She doubts he even really knows the meaning of the word)

The spirit moves forward and regards the Avatar. Aang is tense in front of them, but he stands his ground and Toph congratulates him mentally. A true Earthbender, indeed.

"Really, you have my word that we won't abuse your library," Aang says and they all bow to the spirit.

"Very well. I will allow you to peruse my collection, on the condition that you each contribute new knowledge for my library."

Professor Zei goes first, handing over a first edition copy of some book, and Katara follows with an original firebending scroll. Aang provides the spirit with his wanted poster and Sokka produces a weakly tied knot. Toph snickers when the owl comments on his intellect when suddenly, she feels the hair on the back of her neck rise. She's thinking of bringing out one of her poetry scrolls when WanShiTong speaks.

"The little girl is blind."

Toph tenses and her features morph to a glare. "And?"

"What use is my library to one who cannot even see me?"

Indignant anger swirls in her stomach and Toph has to swallow the words on her tongue. She moves from behind Aang ("Toph!" she hears him whisper) and glares up at the spirit. If she concentrates, she doesn't need to close her eyes or meditate, she can see his spiritual outline clearly and she knows where he is. Her glare intensifies. "I can see you just fine you giant owl. Just 'cause I don't use the same method as everyone else to see, doesn't mean I can't. And for your information, He Who Supposedly Knows Ten Thousand Things, there's a special language for the blind called Braille, and I've mastered it. So if your library doesn't have anything in Braille then that's _your_ loss, not mine."

Silence greets her and Toph realizes she's stepped out of line. She can sense everyone else's spirits tense around her (Aang's was the most troubled) and she's surprised to see that the owl is calm. She figures the owl is thinking of ways to cook her when WanShiTong regards her, this time his voice laced with respect. "I see you are capable of many spiritual things, little one. You would do well to hone your ability."

Toph blinks once. Twice. "W-what?" she mutters, "Aren't you supposed to be, like, pissed at me?"

The all-knowing spirit doesn't answer her question and instead asks for her contribution. Hesitantly, she procures a small scroll with her own poetry and hands it over. WanShiTong merely nods, accepting it, before he turns away. "Enjoy the library," he says and there is a prick on her neck again and Tophs knows the spirit is looking at her. "You should try looking for the Braille copy of ' _Secrets in the Air_ ', little girl. You may find use of it." And with that, he leaves, soaring down to the depths of the library.

;

("Uh Toph, aren't you gonna look for that book he was talking about?"

"Maybe later, Pebbles."

She's curious about it and she knows he can tell.

"I could help you look for it, after Sokka's satisfied."

"...thanks.")

;;

 **Reading**

Even though he was taught how to read and write, Aang doesn't really have a thing for reading. Signs and posters, he could do. Some bending scrolls, maybe, depending on their illustrations. But thick books on certain subjects? Nah.

So he doesn't know what made him go back for one particularly heavy book while Sokka grabs the map of the Water Tribes on the other side the room. "Aang, come on! Toph and Katara can't hold that stupid bird's attention for long and we need to get out of this place!" He hears and he tucks the book into his tunic before running out with Sokka.

They find the girls struggling against an enraged owl while the professor was nowhere to be found. "We gotta give them time to escape!" he tells the older boy. Sokka glances at the ceiling and asks, "Think you can give me a lift first?" Aang looks up and immediately understands. He stomps and a column of earth throws Sokka upward, then he wastes no time and launches a series of rocks at the spirit who was about to claw Katara's face off. WanShiTong is knocked off balance but he stands and looks to the Avatar. Aang smirks and yells out, "Mind if I join the party?"

He tells Toph and Katara to leave while he threw more rocks at WanShiTong, and Toph almost refuses, but he reminds her about Appa waiting and Katara nods, grabbing a hold of Toph's arm.

"We'll see you and Sokka up above! Be careful!"

The fight is quick and intense, and it has Aang grinning like an idiot at the rush of adrenaline and the thrill of a fight. He doesn't know how long he's been fighting when a blur of red and black falls from the ceiling and hits the owl on the back of his head, and Aang hears a battle cry of sorts but it doesn't sound like it came from WanShiTong. Sokka stands, regarding the unconscious spirit before he looks around and tells Aang to earthbend them up to the window. Aang nods and does as he's told, and the reach the surface just as the window disappears under the sand.

;

("Here," he says as he hands her the heavy book from his tunic. Her milky eyes widen. "This is..! Pebblebrain!"

"Well, he did say it could be useful to you, so..."

He's not expecting her to lean over and kiss his cheek but he doesn't mind it when she does. At least something good came out of going to the library, he thinks.)


	8. Air - Chapter Eight

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews, guys, if you did. I hope I'm getting their characters right, even with the change of nationality. I really do like thinking about their personalities and trying to get it into paper, so I hope I'm doing this AU justice. Tell me what you think because from here on there'll be some more uh.. _drama_ , I guess? Because we all know the serious stuff starts around the end of Book II Earth.  
**

 **;;;**

 **Lost**

For the first time in her life, Toph can say that she is at a loss. And in more ways than one.

When she and Katara reach the surface, she's ready to ask Appa to hold off the sinking library but they're both surprised to find nothing but sand. There is no trace of her favorite badgermole and Toph can't even feel his spirit anywhere. Katara puts a hand on her shoulder and presents piece of rough cloth and she puts it together. When Toph realizes what it probably means, she falls to her knees and lets out a choked sob. A tear falls down her cheek and she doesn't know what to do.

When Aang and Sokka come out, both a bit sweaty and breathless, Toph continues kneeling on the sand, sobbing silently, and it is Katara who has to break the horrible news to the Earthbender. She presents the same piece of cloth that is the trademark of the Flying Bandits. They are all familiar with the group of hooligans who misused the power of airbending. Toph has never felt more ashamed of being associated with them, even if it was in the past and she had been there to take them down from the inside.

She hears a strangled cry, a sound so guttural and broken, her heart breaks again and she thinks that she isn't the only one despairing. She brings herself to stand on wobbly knees and turns to the heartbroken boy. He is tense and shaking, his spirit flickering dangerously. Toph doesn't say anything as she walks over and puts a hand on his shoulder. She has no idea how to find the Flying Bandits, or if Appa was even really with them. They were stuck in the middle of a desert and Appa was missing. Toph doesn't know what to do.

;

("We'll find him, Aang. After all, we're in this together, right? Appa won't give up without a fight, so we're sure to find him."

She knows how hollow the words probably sounded, but he needed to hear them still.)

;;

 **Broken**

"YOU _COVERED_ APPA'S PAWS!?"

He was seeing _red_. The thought of his beloved companion bound and tied, completely and utterly blind, made something in him snap. He doesn't know what really happens; he just wants them to hurt as much as Appa was hurt, as much Aang was hurting. The sand below him hardens to sandstone, and it starts cracking under his power. He faintly hears the bandits apologize and offer things, then Sokka yells something about getting away. He doesn't understand; all he can think about is Appa, how such a gentle creature was treated with such cruelty. Rocks are flying everywhere and he can feel the power in his fingertips when suddenly, there is a hand. He snaps his gaze to whoever is holding him and blind eyes see through his spirit. Aang feels himself being pulled down and into a pair of familiar arms. A hand leads him to rest his head on the crook of her shoulders and it is then he realizes he's crying. Tears are flowing freely and he cannot stop them. It hurts too much, he thinks, and he's tired of hurting. The embrace tightens and he lets out a breath, a sigh, and he feels the strength, the raw power, leave him. Aang slumps against her weakly and just _weeps_.

;

He doesn't know how long they've been like that, but when he looks up into her milky eyes, it is dark and the moon and stars are out, shining bright against the black sky, the moonlight illuminating her porcelain skin. "Those stars remind me that there is light, even in the darkest times," she whispers and he understands what she means.

(He doesn't realize the improbability of her knowing about the stars until later, when Sokka forgets she cannot see.)

;;


	9. Air - Chapter Nine

**Hope**

Toph has read books on many things, philosophy, history, and even about the spirit world. But she will freely admit that she knows nothing about helping a woman give birth to real live human baby. So she is helpless, along with Aang and Sokka while Katara helps with the childbirth. When they enter the earth tent with the new family, Toph's breath catches. Ever since she started seeing through spiritual energy, she finds that it's easier to recognize people and shapes, even emotions. So when she sees a light, innocent spirit in the arms of her mother, she's taken by the beauty of the miracle of birth. Toph listens as Aang thanks the new parents for reminding him about hope, and she smiles when the little girl is named just that, Hope. The monks were wrong. Hope wasn't just a distraction, it's what helps people keep going. It is the core of human resilience. Toph thinks it's a beautiful thing.

;

("Will you be okay?" She senses something in his spirit, something that has been missing for a while and it takes her a moment to recognize it. "In time," he replies and she is happy to feel his unfaltering will again.)

;;

 **Secrets**

When Toph stops in her tracks and announces, "We're here," Aang wants to kiss the ground and thank every spirit he knows. They've been walking for days, looking for the Eastern Temple Settlement, a large city at the foot of the mountain where the Eastern Air Temple lay. Toph had explained that the Air Nomads there got too populous and had to expand. The settlement at the foot of the mountain was full of people from different places, she had said, mostly Water Tribe non-benders who got sick of the ice and snow. Unlike the Western Air Temple, the Eastern Air Temple's Council of Elders had embraced change and other people, although their stance on the war was as neutral as Toph's home. Aang runs toward a cliffside and is happy to see the city walls. It takes them only a few more hours to reach the city gates, and only half an hour to secure decent lodging.

"Alright, so here's the plan," Katara says when they're comfortable, and she brings out a thick stack of papers. "We're going to separate and stick these posters of Appa throughout the city. Toph, you go on your own and fly around, just scatter the posters."

"Got it, Sweetness."

"We'll meet back here for lunch. Okay, let's go."

The sun was high in the sky when Aang hears the cries. He pauses in his tracks, his eyes wide, and looks around. He's in the middle of a recreational park and nothing seems unusual. Frowning, he kneels down and presses his palm to the ground, gently at first, then again and stronger.

 _"Nooo! My baby!"_

 _"Please, stop!"_

 _"Let us go!"_

 _"Heeelp!"_

 _"Aaaahh!"_

"Aang!" His eyes fly open at the sound of his name and he looks up to find Toph looking worried. "You okay?" she asks as she offers a hand to pull him up. He takes it and stands beside her. The frown is still on his features and he murmurs, low, so only Toph could hear, "Something's wrong with this place."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard, o-or felt, I dunno, people screaming, asking for help."

Now it's Toph who is frowning. She tilts her head slightly, her lips a thin line. "I don't hear anything, but the spiritual energy around here is weird. It's too noisy for me to really tell."

Aang looks down at her, "Would meditation help you concentrate?"

She nods. "Probably. But it's already past noon, and Mother Hen's worried, so we should get back first. I can come back and investigate later."

Aang lets out a breath he doesn't realize he's been holding. "Thanks, Toph."

"Yeah, yeah. Now come on, I think Sweetness got us sweet dumplings."

;

("I _saw_ them." He feels shivers run down his spine and there is an dreadful feeling in his gut. He stares into her wide milky eyes and he knows they need to do something. "They're inside the mountain. Right under the temple.")

;;

 **Strangers**

It's mid-afternoon when Toph returns to the park, alone. Aang had wanted to come, but she insisted that she would do it alone. He needed to rest, after all, since he'd been worried about Appa for days.

She's sitting under a tree and assessing her surroundings when a group of boys approach. "Hey, pretty girl," one of them says, and Toph tries not to gag. Flirty, teenage boys weren't in any of her priority lists (except for one, but that's beside the point). She doesn't answer and pointedly looks away, hoping they got the message. She's about to leave when another boy grabs a hold of her staff. "Careful there. What's a little thing like you doing with a glider, anyway? Shouldn't you be in the temple baking fruit pies with the Sisters?"

Flirty, chauvinistic pigs were _definitely_ not on her priority list and Toph feels her anger rise. "Lay off, you lily livers. I don't have time to waste on pathetic pigs like you."

"Hey, hey, that's not the way to talk to future monks, _Sister_."

Somehow, the third boy manages to make the title sound disgusting and degrading, and Toph thinks of the honorable and soft-spoken nuns in the Western Air Temple. She decides she that while she respects them, she wasn't meant for such docility. Moving quickly, Toph bends down and swings her feet in an arc, knocking all three boys onto their bums. She stands, proud, and dusts herself off before spitting on the ground near the boys' feet.

"If you're gonna be monks then you should know to abstain from _bad_ influences, because I can say I'm one. Otherwise, I think the Eastern Temple is doomed."

She walks away with her head high, and only reaches a few feet away when she hears clapping. Turning to the source, Toph cocks her head. It is an old man sitting crosslegged on the grass with something that smells like jasmine tea. Toph raises an eyebrow and the old man speaks, "That was quite impressive, my friend. I've never seen those boys take such a beating before."

She huffs in response, but there is a smile on her face. "Thanks. May I join you?"

"Of course," the old man gestures to a spot next to him and Toph sits. "Would you like a cup of jasmine tea?"

She nods and hears him pour her a cup of the hot liquid. Thanking him, she takes a sip. "This is delicious for just jasmine tea!"

The old man's spirit brightens and warms. Toph takes it that he is both embarrassed and grateful.

"I don't mean to pry, but what is an airbending master like you doing here? I thought all the women were in the west."

Toph sips her tea again before answering. "Oh they are, I'm just traveling with friends."

"And what brings you to the Eastern Air Temple?"

She contemplates on her answer before replying. "One of our friends went missing. We found a lead that says he might be here."

"Ah, I hope you will find your friend soon. Good luck in that endeavor."

"Thanks," Toph says and pauses. She examines the man's spirit again and senses something almost familiar. She has sensed it before, but she can't remember. For some reason, the feeling leaves her own spirit curling and uncurling expectantly. She tilts her head. "You're not from around here, are you, gramps?"

He chuckles at the nickname and answers affirmative. "I am a traveler, like you, and I am also searching for someone dear."

Toph takes a shot in the dark. "Family?"

She misses the way the old man regards her. "Yes.. my nephew, and perhaps, even his mother. That is, if they are together as I've heard."

"And what brings you here to the east?"

There is a moment's pause before she hears his reply. "I heard of a mystery, a myth, if you would, about treasure under the temple." Toph nods because she knows he will not elaborate. She puts her empty cup down and asks if he would mind her meditating. "I could use the company," she adds shyly, and the old man laughs. "Go on and meditate, my friend, and I will scare away any unwanted boys."

Toph grins her thanks before she moves into her meditating position, her fists against each other.

She's searching for something, she doesn't know what, and she strains her senses, expanding and widening her radar. The sound of people and trees and life are drowned out and Toph focuses on a light. The longer she stares at it, the more it flickers and suddenly, it moves and she follows, going through streets and walls and up, up, up. There is a flash and then Toph isn't in the park anymore. She blinks, shocked by the change in surrounding when she hears a familiar grunt. "Appa!" she calls and turns. What she senses is not the badgermole and she is horrified by the scene.

Toph's eyes shoot open as she gasps, sweat trickling down her temple. She is back in the park and is glad. "Toph!" she hears and she realizes that Aang is there. "P-pebbles?" she stutters, still breathless. He has a hand on her shoulder and another on her fists, reassuring, comforting. The flicker of his spirit calms her.

Suddenly, there is another voice. "Are you all right, my friend?" Toph turns to the old man surprised, and remembers his company. "I tried to tell this young man not to disturb you, but he is quite stubborn."

"I don't even know you, old man, how was I supposed to just leave her with you?"

"Calm down, Pebblebrain," she says and places her hand on his. She can feel his spirit calm but it is still troubled, while the old man's spirit is quiet, flickering. It is then that Toph recognizes the mark of a waterbender. "He's a friend."

;

("We've gotta go," he pulls at her wrist but she remains firm. She needs to say it before they get there. "Pebbles - _Aang_ , there's another thing. It's.. It's Appa. I think he's there, too.")

;;

 **A/N: Guess who Toph met. Hehehe. Anyway, just to warn you, this fic will be updated less often now, but I'll try to keep the chapters coming. Enjoy and leave a review, if you want!**

 **-Empress**


	10. Air - Chapter Ten

**Lies**

If Aang thought he was enraged when the Flying Bandits admitted to tying Appa, then it is nothing on how he feels when Long Feng smirks from across the large room, watching as Jet falls, unconscious. "Jet!" he hears Katara and the others run over to them and Aang momentarily takes his attention off of Long Feng to check on his fallen comrade. "Is he going to be okay?" he asks, and they are all shocked to hear the ever silent Long-Shot reply. "Yes, he will be. He is our leader, so he is our responsibility." Aang's eyes widen when Smellerbee stands, agreeing. "Yeah, Long-Shot's right. You guys should go find Appa."

They are all silent for a moment, unsure of what to do, when Jet speaks up, his voice soft. "Go on, Katara. I'll be fine. Give Long Feng hell for me, Aang."

Resolutely, he nods and turns to Toph, whose sightless gaze is on the firebender and their fallen friend. He regards her and knows she understands his silent question. "Appa's not here, but he's close. Long Feng's almost to the exit."

"Let's hurry then."

They're running and turning corners when Toph mutters something to Sokka, in a voice so low Aang thought he imagined it. "Jet was lying." He glances at Sokka's somber expression and he knows it wasn't his imagination. Aang runs faster.

;

(He has many reasons why he wants to beat Long Feng up. One is for hurting Jet. Another is for kidnapping Appa. But he can't help that the biggest reason is because the man had lied to Toph and nearly took her away from him.) *

;;

 **Found**

They're not even completely to the surface yet when Toph senses Long Feng on the shore and Aang doesn't hesitate to send several jagged rocks at the man. Of course, hidden airbenders use gusts of wind to bring the rocks down, and Aang just gets madder. Toph can sense his spirit burn.

" _LONG FENG_!" he yells as he sends attack after attack. Toph wants to help but she is busy holding off multiple Dai Li agents. She jumps and spins, kicking a small tornado towards a couple of opponents. They are thrown off a bit but remain airborne. "You could've been one of us, little girl, and you could've had a chance at winning," she hears one of them mutter and she glares. Raising her arms, she starts to command the wind, turning and turning her arms, forming a whirlwind. Several flying agents are knocked down, but Toph doesn't stop. She senses Katara near her and yells out, "Katara, help me fry some noodles!"

She knows the firebender understands when she feels heat around her, the flames of Katara's bending going with her whirlwind. The heat is enough to get most of the Dai Li to land, and Toph smirks when she feels Katara make whips out of her fire. Feeling her arms start to ache, Toph stops with her whirlwind and turns to Aang. He is busy making walls to defend against gusts of wind, and she steps forward to help him when she locks onto Long Feng's spirit.

"He's getting away!"

She snaps open her glider and flies up. "I'm going after Long Feng!" she calls down to her friends and steers her glider. The wind is difficult to control and that's when she realizes how many airbenders are against her. Two were below, controlling the wind to go against her and Toph sense two more right behind her. She's doomed, she thinks, and she hears Aang cry out, "Toph! Watch out!" A particularly strong gust of wind throws her off the sky, breaking her glider and twisting her arm, and then all she knows is that she is falling, falling. She wants to try to bend to land safely, but her body hurts so much. She knows her friends are all too far to be able to catch her and she thinks this is her end when she senses a familiar spirit and hears a grunt, a call. She can't believe it.

" _Appa!_ "

The ground rumbles far below her and she can sense another spirit, someone else, heading straight at her. _Aang_ , she thinks giddily. Using both air and fire, he maneuvers himself so that he catches Toph midair and he softens their landing with earthbending. When he glances down at the injured airbender, she merely smiles, murmuring happily, "That's a good boy, Appa," before succumbing to darkness.

;

("It's a good thing you found us, buddy." She hears a voice, and it's familiar. A grunt comes as a reply and she smiles. "We wouldn't have been able to save her if you hadn't." _Grunt. Scratch-scratch._ "Toph?" she hears and her eyes flutter. "Hey Pebbles. I missed you, too, Appa.")

;;;

 **Notes:**

 *** I feel like I should explain since I didn't exactly include this part. Basically, when Toph and the others try to investigate what she _"saw"_ under the mountain (parallel of Lake Laogai) they're distracted by the Dai Li. Here, the Dai Li has a pretty similar role to their original counterparts, only I like to think they're a lot scarier because, for one thing, they can _fly_. If you watch Korra, then you'll know it means they don't have any earthly attachments and my headcanon for this is that Dai Li agents were picked and trained since they were young, probably even castrated, just to be sure. It's canon that Dai Li agents started training at the age of 13, but here I think they'd start even younger, maybe 4 to 6. It's kinda horrible, yeah, but it works.**

 **Anyway, Long Feng talks to them personally and stuff, and he sees potential in Toph. He tries to recruit her for the Dai Li, even if she's actually pretty old for training (besides, Toph's a master, since she has tattoos already). I like to think that Toph actually considers this, seriously enough that Aang gets worried. Long story short, they find out how horrible the Dai Li is and Toph is considerably hurt, angry and ashamed while Aang is just plain pissed. Okay, end of rant, sorry about that.**


	11. Air Chapter Eleven

**Treasure**

It's a day and a half after Long Feng's escape when Aang comes to a staggering realization.

He's walking back towards Appa's lair (a cave the Badgermole had dug for himself and Toph, who had refused to leave the creature) when he sees them. The early afternoon sun lights the entrance of the cave, and Aang has to squint because it's hot and bright. When he comes closer, his eyes adjust slightly to the shadows provided by the shelter and his gaze immediately falls on an orange and yellow-clad figure. She's napping, he realizes, leaning on his badgermole and looking as peaceful as her surroundings. He stops mid-step, and Appa looks up at him, but Aang can't bring himself to tear his gaze away from the sleeping airbender. He watches silently as her features are painted by the afternoon sunlight and he is transfixed by how soft her lips look. A stray lock of dark hair falls on her face and the tips land right on the corner of her lips and suddenly, Aang finds it hard to breathe. He doesn't understand the urge to hold her in his arms, but he knows that it has never been this strong before. His fists clench at his sides and he snaps out of his thoughts at the sound of Appa scratching the ground with his free paw. Aang snaps his gaze toward his companion, and is surprised by how intently the badgermole looks at him with blind eyes. "Hey, buddy.." he mutters, his voice only the slightest bit shaky, and Appa groans in reply. The badgermole nudges him with his snout, and a small smile appears on Aang's face as he raises his hands to pat his fur. When he glances down at Toph's sleeping form, he feels Appa stare. He lets out a sigh, a whisper. "She's beautiful, isn't she?"

He looks up again when Appa grunts in agreement and Aang's small smile grows into a grin. He walks around and gently sits beside the airbender who was still leaning on Appa. The badgermole fidgets a bit, causing Toph to shift and lean closer to the Avatar. When Aang notices her uncomfortable position, he moves so that the girl could rest her head on his shoulder. He smiles at the contented sigh she gives and closes his eyes, ready to take a nap.

 _"Thanks, Pebbles..."_

;

(He's heard of the mysterious legends, even a hundred years ago. He knows that there was supposedly treasure under the Eastern Temple Mountain, and that treasure depended on who was looking for. That afternoon, he can't help but think that he had everything he could ever want.)

;;

 **Ties**

They're like a whirlwind, she thinks, hitting another Dai Li agent with a strong gust. It had been Sokka's idea to get to the Council of Elders and tell them about Long Feng and the Dai Li. Toph ducks as Aang does a roundhouse kick above her, knocking out a group of agents. She had naturally opposed the idea, but even Aang saw merit in it, so she didn't have much of a choice but to help her friends and guide them to the Council Room of the Temple. She steps back as Aang moves in front of their group to block a barrage of attacks with a slab of earth. She can sense Katara move behind her, keeping flying airbenders away with her fire whip. Toph ducks accordingly, twirling her staff around her, almost nervously. They're surrounded, and at this rate, she knows it would be extremely difficult to get to the Elders. When Aang relents with his rock shield, she steps forward, swinging her staff before spinning it above her head. Her first action causes a widespread gust that stops their enemies on their tracks, and Toph makes sure to keep them there by way of tornado. She knows she has taught Aang well, because he easily catches onto her plan and without another word, steps up to help her. They're both busy keeping up the tornado when Katara moves to slash around with her fire whip and it makes the airborne agents land in fear. A smile slips into Toph's features when she hears Appa grunt and suddenly, all the airbenders are trapped up to their chins by rock cages. While she wants to say something to the badgermole, they have no time because there is still a huge flight of stairs to conquer. She can feel Sokka's spirit waver at the sight of the great steps, and when the air shifts around them again, Toph moves her hand around her head and takes a deep breath before pinching her thumb and forefinger together and concentrating her breath in one blow. It's a desperate move, she knows, and she's not even sure if it'll work, because she has only read about it in the Secrets of the Air. But when she senses the numerous Dai Li and temple monks slow down considerably, almost like in slow-motion, she inwardly cheers. It worked! *

Turning, she and Aang don't waste time creating a small whirlwind under their group that floats them all (except Appa who uses earthbending to scale the steps) to the top. She hears Sokka try to explain and apologize to the affected monks they pass by, but Toph remains silent, continuing with the circular motions of her arm, the other holding her staff in place. When they reach the top, stepping into the Temple's outer garden, Aang moves to send a gust against the monks to her right while she does the same for him, covering his back. Their path is cleared easily enough and Aang leads them further into the temple.

"Toph! Which way to the Council?!" Sokka asks, glancing around _. How should I know? I'm still voting we leave this dump_ is what she wants to say but she's busy sending several monks on their bums. She can only manage to grunt out "Big door, down the left hallway!" before dodging an attack. She's not sure if Sokka understood but she senses him wander down the hall and thinks he'll be okay. Aang and Katara flank her on either sides, and it's not long before they've finished their opponents, leaving the main corridor of the temple in ruins.

She's helping Katara get through the rubble when she hears Sokka cry out as he attempts to kick down the large doors to the council room. With a roll of her eyes, she floats down behind Sokka just as Aang steps up and together, they knock down the wooden barriers (plus Sokka, who complains about warnings or something).

;

She finds it hard not to smile at the thought of Aang airbending with her. She's taught him well, she knows, even if he could do with more training. For some reason, there's comfort in sharing something, a similarity, a tie, with him. She shakes her head to clear her thoughts and focus.

;;

 **Change**

"Would you really believe a bunch of hooligans over one of your own trusted brothers?"

Long Feng's question hangs in the air, and Aang finds the silence suffocating. He looks over to Elder Kuei, whose frown causes a sinking feeling in his gut. Aang knows that there's nothing more they can show, nothing more they can do to make the Elder believe them. If Kuei didn't believe them now, then there was no hope. In the silence, Aang can feel everyone's heartbeats. Long Feng's is rapid, showing his true nervousness, and the Avatar wants to punch him. Kuei's beat was slow but heavy, and it makes Aang even more nervous. He picks up on Katara's and Sokka's, both hearts beating uneasily, just like his own. Then he picks up on Toph's and he's surprised at the change, at how different it is from everyone else's. Her heartbeat wasn't fast or nervous, but it wasn't sure and steady either. From the corner of his eye, he glances at her, noting the minuscule crease between her brows and the thin line of her lips. He doesn't understand it, how she could be so calm compared to everyone else. It was like a whole different change of — wait. That was it. _Change_. He remembers his airbending training; Airbenders had light footsteps, because their art required agility and the ability to adapt. Airbending taught him to be ready to change within a moment's notice. Aang watches with bated breath as Elder Kuei straightens and calls, "Dai Li.." He thinks of how change, for Air Nomads, wasn't about being fickle or stubborn; it's about having an open mind. Suddenly, he's not so worried anymore.

"Please escort our _former_ monk, Long Feng, to the Holding Chamber."

When the Elder turns to them with a small smile, Aang can't help but grin back, and he's comforted by the sound of everyone's hearts beating in relief.

;

When Sokka asks him if he was worried about the Elder not believing them, he gives a shrug and tries to answer honestly, explaining his thoughts at the time. He didn't think she would overhear and grin, "I knew I taught you well, Pebblebrain."

;;;

 **Notes** :

 *** In _Ties,_ the attack Toph uses (which is parallel to her leveling the staircase of the Earth King's Palace in the episode _The Earth King_ ) is basically based on what Haku did in the beginning of _Spirited Away_. I'm not entirely sure what he did to make the whole bathhouse slow down to give Chihiro time, but I figured Toph either manipulated the air around them to slow them down, or did some spirit-y mumbo jumbo. Even I'm not sure, sorry.  
**


	12. Air - Chapter Twelve

**Ways**

If she was being honest with herself, Toph didn't think things would end this well. After everything they went through, she figures a nap was way overdue and she settles herself comfortably on the bed the monks provided. Just as she was about to succumb to slumber however, she senses a familiar spirit by her room's door. She sits up on her elbows and calls,"Katara? What's up?"

"It's the Council of Elders. They want to talk to us."

Toph doesn't bother hiding her annoyance and lets out a groan of frustration, but she still gets up and follows. The older girl seems amused though, and Toph simply lets herself be led around the temple, even if she probably knows the place better than the Fire Nation native. When they reach the council room, Aang and Sokka are already there. Their spirits are uneasy, flickering, and it makes her wonder if they are in trouble. She walks to the long table and ends up sitting between Aang and Katara.

"Welcome, friends," an elder says, "We have called you here because we've discovered a chest full of letters that Long Feng has hidden."

"Letters?" Aang's surprised and curious, it is obvious. Toph blinks and listens as the elder continues on to explain.

"Yes. Here is one that was apparently attached to your Badgermole's claw, when they captured him."

She hears the sound of crumpling paper and waits as Aang reads through it. "Wow!" he gasps, "Apparently, there's a guy in Gaoling who can help me master the Avatar State!"

"You mean, like, a guru?" she asks.

"What's a guru?" Sokka butts in, "Is that like a special meat?"

Toph glares in his direction before explaining about the spiritual masters. When she finishes, another elder pipes up, brandishing a letter addressed to her. "Here is one for Miss Toph."

"Me?" She wants to reach out for it, but she's not too sure. She pauses as she is reaching for it, and stays for a while before returning her hand to her side. "Who is it from?" Her voice is weak and soft and she doesn't like it. There was only one person who could've written to her, and she doesn't want to think of the contents of the letter. There is a prick in her neck, and she knows everyone is looking at her. By how their spirits were flickering, she'd guess it was in pity or concern. After a moment of awkward silence, she senses Aang shift before he answers, "Sister Hui."

Toph gulps. She knew it. Aang holds out the letter to her and she takes it gingerly, thanking him silently for not reading anything else. When she unrolls the parchment and her fingers feel the elevated ink, unease is swirling in the pit of her stomach. She reads silently, her fingers tracing the writing before she lets out the smallest of gasps, but with how silent the room is, everyone hears it. "What's wrong?" Aang asks in concern.

She shakes her head, "I can't believe it. She says she's sorry and that she's in the Settlement, hoping we could talk over tea..."

The room is silent again, and she wonders if they're waiting for her to say something. She tries not to heave a sigh and instead murmurs, "Well, I guess I could _try_..."

Her words seem to have been the right thing to say, because she feels the room brighten and Aang's spirit rise with the words that come from her mouth. She's still wary about the whole idea but she did say she would try, so she would. Toph tries not to think too much about it as Katara and Sokka ask about their dad. She listens mutely as one of the elders produce an intercepted message from a General Hakoda but somehow, she cannot bring herself to rejoice with the siblings because a disturbing thought settles in her mind. Aang found a guru to help him, and Katara and Sokka had their father to visit, and she... She had to see Sister Hui. She realizes with discomfort that it meant their little group had to part ways. Her brows crease and Toph doesn't like the nerves that threaten to consume her. She shakes her head to clear her thoughts as Elder Kuei speaks up, asking one of them to discuss war plans with the other monks, and she finds herself almost volunteering because it's an excuse. But Katara beats her to it, albeit a bit begrudgingly because she wants to see her dad, and Toph's not sure if she can face Sister Hui just yet.

When they're dismissed and the four of them move to Aang's room, she's silent, contemplating, but thankfully none of her friends have noticed. She's only half listening as Aang talks excitedly about the guru and Gaoling and Sokka about his dad. She can feel Katara's low spirits, but the girl is strong and Toph knows she'll be fine. She's sure that if she looks at her own spirit, it would be flickering, sputtering, showing just how confused she was. She doesn't like how she's grown so attached to her band of friends that she's afraid to be alone, even if she actually considered leaving them at some point (She still feels bad about it, but nothing came out of her consideration anyway, since the Dai Li _sucked_ ). She tries to steel herself because she's been alone before and she can handle it again, she's sure. She gives a small smile when Katara turns to her, asking if she's okay, and tries to assure her friends of her plans, while doing her best not to dwell on memories of locked rooms and lonely afternoons.

;

(She draws immense comfort from the arms around her, ignoring Sokka's awkward comments as they all share a group hug and she thinks of how much she'll miss them. A week sounds too long, she thinks, but she'll manage. Somehow.)

;;

 **Distance**

Gaoling is just as he remembers it, despite the weathered state of all the structures, small and simple. It is here that he had met Appa, he thinks, a hand absently petting his companion. The two of them are walking down the rocky paths of the once bustling town, both reminiscing the early days of their friendship. When they reach the center square, Aang looks around curiously. The guru never stated where he would wait for the Avatar, so he wasn't sure of where to go. He glances at Appa when the badgermole snorts and pats the ground, and he gets an idea. He gets into horse stance and closes his eyes. A breath and a stomp later, he senses another heartbeat. "Looks like we should head that way, buddy."

They resume walking and head toward a large estate covered by overgrown plants, finding an old man sitting and meditating. Appa walks ahead and makes himself comfortable beside the old man and Aang almost feels jealous. He takes a seat across the guru and speaks. "So...you said you can help me with the Avatar State?"

He's not sure if the man even hears him, because he doesn't so much as twitch and his heartbeat remains steady and serene. "Uh hello?" Appa gives a snort behind him and the guru lets out a long breath before his eyes open and meet Aang's green ones. A smile appears on the old man's face and Aang feels welcome.

"Hello Aang," he says, "I am Guru Pahtik. I've been waiting for you."

"So I heard..."

Aangs listens patiently as Guru Pahtik explains to him how he can master the Avatar State, and sets his mind on completing the task. "Let's do this," he says as he stands, ready. The smile the guru gives him is both reassuring and unnerving.

"Come sit, Aang. We'll need to be meditating to be able to open your chakras."

"Meditating?"

Guru Pahtik gives him an amused expression. "Yes. I believe your airbender friend taught you how to meditate, no?"

At the mention of Toph, he sits back down, and tries to ignore the heavy feeling in his chest. He wonders how she is now, meeting with Sister Hui. He sort of wanted to go with her, for moral support, but she had said she needed to do it herself.

 _"I gotta learn how to do stuff alone, Pebbles, if I'm ever gonna travel alone and really be a nomad."_

Her words upset something in him, and in the back of his mind, Aang knew why he was so disturbed by it. He understands the implication of her leaving them— _him_ , and he knows why he doesn't like it.

"Aang?"

His gaze snaps back to Guru Pahtik, who was looking at him with slight concern. "Sorry, just thinking.."

The guru nods understandingly. "You miss your friend, correct?"

Sheepish, Aang rubs the back of his neck. "Sort of, yeah. I-I mean, I miss them all, not just uh—not just _Toph_."

When the old man smiles this time, Aang feels like he knows something Aang himself didn't. He shakes his head and tries to focus.

"So the first chakra is located at base of your spine..."

;

When they move to an open and airy field with a nearby pond, he notices a lone lotus flower blooming in the water. He smiles as the white petals remind him of milky eyes before he turns his attention back to the guru.

;;;


	13. Air - Chapter Thirteen

**Buddies**

Toph is beyond pissed. More than pissed, she's hurt, she's ashamed and she's just wants _out_.

"Let me out of here, you low-life lily livers!" She yells, pounding on the wooden crate encasing her.

A hand slaps the wood near her head and it makes her jump. "Shut ya trap, runt. Ye can think yer so good, but even ye can't get outta that."

Toph growls, trying to blink back the tears forming. How could she be so stupid?! Of course, Sister Hui wouldn't really call for her, it had been the Flying Bandits wanting revenge along with a herd of flying bison. She feels horrible for falling for another trap and all she wants is to curl up and cry, but she can't do that. Not now, when the bandits are about to bring her and about a dozen flying bison to their headquarters in the Fire Nation.

She takes a deep breath and forces herself to relax. She can sense the two bandits in the carriage with her, and the bandit driving. Furrowing her brows, Toph tries to widen her scope. She senses another spirit, one of an animal, and she knows it's the wild female bison that nearly went berserk earlier. She can feel its–no, her distress, her spirit flickering, alternating between bright and dim. From the sound of muffled snorts, she knows the bison is tied and muzzled. The thought makes her blood boil, and she thinks that the feeling is similar to when they found out about the bandits tying Appa.

Too bad she couldn't have a tantrum, Avatar-style, to get out of this mess.

Toph takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself. She needs to outwit the bandits if she wanted any chance of escape, and that means she needs to think. It's hard to concentrate on anything with the bandits chatting and arguing near her while the bumps in the road made the ride painful. Suddenly, a low snort reaches her ears and Toph gets an idea.

"All right, better try it than wait around." Taking a deep breath, she focuses on the sky bison's spirit and imagines herself sitting with it. The images in her mind swirl around before they clear up and soon, her spirit stands outside of her body and she is looking right into the bison's eyes. Well, sort of, anyway.

A loud grunt escapes the gentle beast and she can sense her surprise. "Shhh, calm down," Toph whispers, raising her arms placatingly. She stills and waits when she senses one of the bandits turn. "Keep quiet, beast, before ah make ya."

She glares at the bandit before she turns back toward the sky bison that was now regarding her curiously.

"I'm a friend, buddy, I won't hurt you..."

She gets a quiet grunt in response and she continues, "I wanna get you and the other bisons out of here, but I can't do that while I'm stuck in that box. Look, we need to work together so we can both escape, alright?"

Toph smiles for the first time that day when she senses the bison nod. "Great. So here's the plan.."

;

She takes great pleasure in spitting at the bandits' feet, rejoicing in the fact that they were all tied and most of them were knocked out. When she turns, she's surprised that the sky bison refuses to leave. But when a wet tongue licks half her body, Toph grins and hugs the gentle beast.

"I think I'll call you... _Bao_."

;;

 **Spirit**

 _"Think of all your earthly attachments..."_

He can see it clearly, all the pieces coming together. A smile that nearly bordered on a smirk, and raven locks held back by an orange tie. Smooth alabaster skin inked with blue and covered by oranges and yellows. And then there were those bright, milky eyes that saw through his soul and put every pearl in the ocean to shame. Aang welcomes the warm feeling in his chest. He's accepted it now, his love.

 _"...and let them go."_

Suddenly, all the images shatter like glass and disappear into a smoky abyss.

"Wait, _what_?!"

"You have to let them go, Aang, in order to connect to the cosmic energy within you."

"Oh, so what? A bunch of cosmic mumbo-jumbo is better than To—I mean, love?"

Guru Pahtik regards him carefully. "You must understand, Aang, that letting go is not the same as losing her."

Aang frowns but settles back into his meditating position. He'll try again, then. He clears his mind and tries to focus. Think of your earthly attachments.. He sees her again, this time, her arms are crossed and she looks – fond. Almost. More like, exasperatedly fond. The image in his mind is so real he can almost hear her voice, saying, " _Let me go, Pebbles._ "

 _But..._! He wants to argue, but the are no words on his tongue. She smiles, and repeats, " _Let me go.._ "

The words echo all around him, even if he's in the middle of space, and he finds himself ready to do just that when —

"Aang?"

He blinks. All of a sudden, he's not in outer space anymore. For some reason, he's sitting right beside Toph...who was riding a sky bison? When did that happen?

"Toph? Where am I? What happened?" He looks down at himself and is shocked that his whole body is glowing a faint blue. When he looks back at her, her brows are furrowed in confusion. "That's.. How are you..."

"Uh, Toph, why am I blue and glowy and transparent? What's happening to me?!"

Milky eyes blink owlishly at him and it takes her a moment to respond. "Pebblebrain, you're projecting your spirit.. That's.. Honestly, that's _amazing_."

He feels heat rise to his face but he tries to ignore it. "Um thanks. Where are we exactly? Where'd you get the bison?"

Suddenly, Toph's expression turned dark. "Katara's in trouble."

;;

("I dunno why, but you're the only one I can project my spirit to, or whatever. Why's that?"

"... It means we've got a strong bond, Pebbles."

"Really?" "Yep."

He sleeps with a huge smile on his face that night.)

;;;

 **A/N: Happy Valentines!**


	14. Air - Chapter Fourteen

**Trust**

"Where could she be?"

Toph frowns at the restlessness of her friends' spirits. She knows hers is in a similar state but still. They couldn't afford to panic right now. Not when Katara was missing.

She senses two other spirits and they're so familiar now she recognizes them almost immediately. When one flickers uneasily, she speaks, "I dunno where Katara is, but _they_ might."

"Who?"

She points to the entrance just as a knock resounds throughout the apartment. "Some old friends."

She steps up and opens the door to greet their guests. "Hi there." She hears the startled yelps of the boys behind her, but she smiles brightly at the woman and old man.

"Hello, friend," the old man starts, "We need your help."

Toph hears Sokka's indignant " _What_?!" but she cuts him off, saying, "And we need yours. Our friend, Katara, is missing."

" _Toph_!"

Before Sokka can say anything else, the woman speaks up. "So is my son, Zuko—"

" _Zuko_?!"

"Sokka, shut up."

Mentally thanking Aang and purposefully ignoring Sokka's protests, Toph regards the two strangers–well, more like acquaintances (and occasional enemy). "Looks like we both need help. Do you have any idea where they could be?"

The woman nods and gestures to her right, and that's when Toph notices another person, someone whose spirit was the most nervous out of all of them. When she steps out into the porch, that's when she realizes he's encased in ice up to his chin. She grins. "Well, this makes things easier. Where are they?"

"And don't bother lying, I can tell if you do." Aang pipes up as he appears beside her.

The man's teeth chatter from the cold but he answers easily enough, "They were taken to the crystal catacombs under the Settlement. The closest entrance is near the Dai Li's old training ground. They're planning to get rid of the Council of Elders and put Long Feng in charge. But I think even the Princess is aiming for the position. That's it, I swear, that's all I know."

She senses Aang nod at the two waterbenders, and takes note of their grave auras. She turns back to them, her blind gaze on the ground as Aang speaks up, "I can get to the catacombs and save Katara, probably Zuko too. Toph, you and Sokka go and take care of the Elders."

"Gotcha."

"We'll go with you, Avatar." Zuko's mother speaks up, the concern in her voice evident. Aang nods just as Sokka finally snaps.

"Hang on, hang on," the Fire Nation native steps up, "who's to say we can _trust_ them? Am I the only one who remembers they're _bloodbenders_?!"

"Sokka..."

"Are you guys forgetting that they've been trying to capture us since the beginning?"

Rolling her eyes with a huff, Toph straightens and makes sure to fix her blind eyes on Sokka (she's heard it's unnerving for a lot of people). Frowning, she retorts, "And are you forgetting your sister's in trouble? Well, so is their family, and I dunno about you Sokka, but we need to help each other out because we have a common enemy."

"Right, as if Long Feng even knows them—"

"She means Azula, my boy," the old man corrects, "While Azula is also a relative, she needs to go down."

"But—!"

"Sokka," Aang speaks, putting a hand on the older boy's shoulder, "We just have to trust them. This is coming from a living lie detector and Avatar _plus_ Toph, who can see through people's spirits."

Toph nods at the acknowledgement and feels Sokka's will waver. The corner of her lips lift into a soft smirk, "We'll be fine, Snoozles."

;;

"Hey, Toph." _Gust. Dodge._

"Hm?" _Dodge. Whirlwind._

"Do you think Aang and Katara'll be okay?" _Slash. Dodge. Gust._

She thinks of the tough earthbender who was searching with two master waterbenders and the strong firebender stuck with the angsty Water Tribe guy. She remembers Aang's unfaltering will and Katara's gentle heart. She smiles.

"They'll be fine."

;;;

 **Fear**

"Sooo... Zuko, huh? Your kid?" he tries for casual, pushing back more layers of earth. Air wasn't scarce down in the tunnel he was making but it sure was suffocating because of the silence.

"No, no," replies the old man with a laugh. Aang recognizes him from the time when Toph went to the park to meditate and he wonders if Toph knew him then. She probably did, he thinks, and she still trusts him. "Zuko is my nephew. Lady Ursa here is his mother."

Aang glances at the woman–Ursa, when the old man gestures toward her. She gives him a small and weak smile, "Uncle Iroh, there's no need for titles here."

"Iroh and Ursa? I'm Aang."

"It's a pleasure to finally know your name, Avatar Aang. Even after — uh, you know."

Chuckling awkwardly, Aang agrees, continuing with the tunnel. As he works, his mind wanders to his unfinished chakra-opening problem. He feels unsettled deep in his bones and it worries him. He needs to focus on saving Katara but what did Guru Pahtik say about the dangers of not opening all your chakras? What kind of dangers were there? Did that mean he couldn't go into the Avatar-state anymore?

"What troubles you, Aang?"

He glances at Iroh but gives a shrug. "Nothing.. Just thinking." He remains silent and pushes back more earth before he decides he might as well ask.

"So um.. Toph thinks you're pretty good company.. plus you make good tea."

He gets a laugh out of the old man and he notices Ursa smile. "I suppose. Your friend also makes good company, I believe."

For some reason, Aang has to force himself not to blush. Clearing his thoughts, he tries to voice his worries. "I was uh.. Wondering. You see, I was training to master the Avatar State but I had to stop because we found out Katara's in trouble. The thing is, I sort of had to cut myself off from all the cosmic power and now I dunno if I made the right choice, not finishing the training."

He pauses in his tracks and looks over to the old man, finding Iroh watching him with a peculiar expression. He seemed to give Aang a look understanding only elders could give. "Power is overrated, my friend. Being there for your friends is important. If there's anything I've learned in my lifetime, it is that power is not everything."

Aang gives him a nod of understanding, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He misses the way Ursa looks at him with a worried crease in her brows.

;;

He isn't familiar with the heavy weight of worry that burdens him and makes his bones feel like lead. He tries not to think of it too much and move on. But when he sees the sheer number of Dai Li agents all around them, he feels choked by dread clawing at his thoughts. A flash of orange and yellow flies past him and he knows he has to do something.

;;;

 **Rescue**

"I cannot believe this..." Toph didn't even bother glancing at her companion, whether she could see him or not. She breaths in and tries to think of ways to slip out of the metal cuffs holding her down. She pulls at them again to no avail.

"Don't worry, Kuei, we'll think of a way to get out. Right, Toph?" She suppresses a groan and is grateful when Elder Kuei replies to the distressed Fire Nation native. Her head tilts as she assesses their surroundings, breathing deeply. She can sense the air circulate leisurely all around them, defining the cell they were locked into. It was a wooden cell, from the smell of it, and the only metal things were the cuffs around their wrists.

Sokka sneezes from across her and Toph recoils by instinct. "Sorry. These mountains are a tad bit too cold for me." Cold? Blinking, she straightens and hears her shackles move with her. Cold... Airbenders had no problem with the cold because they could regulate their breathing...

Getting an idea, she sits down on the wooden floor and lifts her right arm to her face. Taking a deep breath, she blows on the chains slowly, making sure to keep her breath cool. She can't sense if it's even working but at Sokka's gasp, she thinks it does. "Is it frosting yet?" she asks, grinning when she gets an affirmative. It takes a while but she gets it down soon enough and with one pull, the chains break. "Yes!"

She works on Sokka's next and lets the Elder blow on his own shackles. When they're all free, it's easy enough to blow the lock on the cell off and leave. They're already running through tunnels when Sokka comments, offhandedly, "See, Kuei, we're out and safe."

Toph thinks she cannot be held responsible for blowing his shirt into his face. "We're not safe yet, Snoozles. Trouble's waiting around the corner."

;;

She hears his familiar snort before she senses the Badgermole's spirit. She tells Sokka to take the Elder to safety and promises him she'll be back with Aang and Katara. She doesn't tell him about how she can sense more than a dozen other spirits in the catacombs with one in particular giving her the chills.

;;;


End file.
